The International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) has attended the bi-annual NGO roundtable discussion with the UN Director General for Geneva, Michael Møller, at the Palace of Nations. The purpose of the discussion was to bring non-governmental organizations with UN missions up to speed on the current reform processes initiated by Secretary General, António Guterres, earlier in the year and to orient local representatives on the goals and priorities of the UN office in Geneva for 2017-2018 period.

Falling in line with the IEPF’s own expertise, Michael Møller stressed the need to increase the role of civil society organizations in conflict mediation and announced the growing cooperation between the UN and the Swiss government to consolidate Geneva’s role as a global conflict mediation hub.

Following the discussion with Michael Møller, the IEPF’s own Geneva representative, Michael Montafi, sat down with Dr. Nidal Salim, Director General of the Global Institute for Water Environment and Health (GIWEH) and professor at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, to discuss preliminary areas of future cooperation between the two organizations.

Of special interest to the two parties is bolstering Azerbaijan’s work in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting the country as a model for inclusive development in the South Caucasus and on the global stage.

Further steps towards deepening cooperation between the IEPF and GIWEH are expected in the coming weeks as IEPF President, Umud Mirzayev, travels to Bonn for the UN climate change conference, where he will meet with Dr. Salim.

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